Navalny's funeral plans stir public speculation amid calls for independent death review
"We are in the process of securing a public venue for the final farewell to Alexei. The target date is the end of this working week", Kira Yarmysh wrote on her Twitter profile.
Last Saturday, the spokesperson revealed that the politician's body had been entrusted to his mother. She disclosed that she is unsure if the authorities will permit the funeral to be carried out in the manner the family wishes and in a way that honours Alexei's memory.
Following Yarmysh's post, numerous responses emerged on social media. Netizens are enquiring about an independent expert's review concerning the cause of the opposition leader's death, with some passionately appealing for such a review.
Others have requested the funeral be held on a non-working day to avoid needing to take time off work. It seems many people wish to bid a personal farewell to Navalny.
Alexei Navalny's sudden demise
On 16th February, Russian authorities disclosed the abrupt death of Navalny, widely regarded as Vladimir Putin's primary political adversary. Navalny reportedly died in prison whilst serving a 19-year sentence and potentially faced up to 30 years. The authorities denied his family access to his remains.
Navalny's mother, Ludmila, was allegedly presented with a choice by prison authorities: acquiesce to a discreet funeral at a local cemetery or have the opposition figure interred within the penal colony. According to independent Russian media, she vehemently opposed these actions in local court and gained backing from her son's supporters.
Appeals for the release of Navalny's remains were made by his relatives, Orthodox believers and clergy, as well as representatives of culture and media.
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former Yukos corporation chief and a Russian opposition expatriate in the West, speculated that Russian authorities declined to release Navalny's body for fear his funeral might incite violent protests.
On Monday, Maria Pevchikh, an ally of the anti-Kremlin opposition leader, announced that Navalny was to be released as part of a prisoner exchange for an FSB officer currently serving a sentence in Berlin.
